Remotely controlled toy vehicle



Sept. 27, 1955 2,718,729

A. N. GIARDINA REMOTELY CONTROLLED TOY VEHICLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledMarch 3, 1953 Fig 2 INVENTOR. AN QRE W fi/A R D/NA ATTORNEY p 7, 1955 A.N. GIARDINA 2,718,729

REMOTELY CONTROLLED TOY VEHICLE Filed March a, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. A NDFPEW ElAl-VDINA ATTORNEY United States Patent Office2,718,729 Patented Sept. 27, 1955 l 1 2,718,729 REMOTELY CONTROLLED TOYVEHICLE Andrew N. Giardina, Pittsburgh, Pa. Application March 3, 1953,Serial No. 340,076 6 Claims. (Cl. 46244) This invention relates to a toyvehicle, such as an automobile, truck or the like, and more particularlyto electrical control means for remotely operating an electricallypowered vehicle so as to enable the vehicle to be driven forwardly orrearwardly, and to turn to the right or'left, as desired, by operationof only one hand of the operator.

An outstanding disadvantage of most powered toy vehicles, particularlyspring powered vehicles, is that it is diflicult or almost impossible tocontrol the direction of movement of the vehicle, and usually the onlydirection in which it may go is in a straight forward direction. Anotherdisadvantage is that if a spring motor is used it is necessary at veryfrequent intervals to pick up the toy and wind it, all of which is timeconsuming and interrupts the pleasure of the child.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel electrical operated andcontrolled toy vehicle which can be driven forwardly and rearwardly, andwhich can be turned to the right or left by a simple remotely controlledswitching unit, thereby affording continuous control and movement of thevehicle without interruption, thus being devoid of the above nameddisadvantages.

Another object of my invention is to provide a toy vehicle driven by anelectric motor which is powered by dry cells remotely situated from thevehicle and mounted on a control unit including switching means forstarting, stopping, controlling the direction of movement as well as thedirection of turning of the vehicle, without interruption, thusaffording continuous enjoyment and enabling the vehicle to travelconsiderable distances.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become more apparentfrom a study of the following de scription taken with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of a toy automobile and control meansembodying the principles of my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view, with portions of the wall cutaway, of the control unit 3 of Figure 1, which is carried in the hand ofthe operator and which serves to control the direction of movement andof turning of the toy automobile.

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan view of the automobile chassis, that is,with the body removed and more clearly illustrating the electrical meansfor driving and for steering the toy automobile; and

Figure 4 is an electrical or schematic diagram showing the wiring systemof the automobile and control unit shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

Referring more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, numeral 1 denotes a toyvehicle, such as a toy automobile (although this could be a truck, bus,locomotive or any other vehicle instead). One end of an electrical cord2 is connected to the toy automobile in the manner to be describedthereinafter. Connected to the other end of the electrical cord 2 is aremote control unit 3 which may be operated by one hand of the operatoras shown.

As shown more clearly in Figure 2 the remote control unit 3 is in a formof a casing of plastic or metal enclosing therein one or more dry cells4, for providing electric power to operate the electric driving motorfor driving the car 1.. Mounted on unit 3 is a single pole, single throwelectric switch including a metal ball 7 which serves as a' rollingcontact member for selectively bridging the contacts 5 or the contacts 6as desired, depending upon whether unit 3 is tilted in one direction oranother, for controlling the direction of steering of the automobile. Toassure, bridging of the respective contacts by the ball, the coverportion immediately opposite the ball (not shown) may have inwardlyextending lat eral guide portions. Instead of using a ball 7, othertypes of moving contact elements may be used, for example, a globule ofmercury to form a mercury switch. However, the latter is sometimesobjectionable because of the possibility of breaking of the casing andthe spilling of the mercury. A reversing switch operated by contactbuttons 8 and 9 selectively reversing the current flow through thearmature of motor 13 to reverse the car is also mounted on casing 3.

Figure 3 shows the toy automobile chassis comprising a frame or platform10 mounted on wheels 11. The rear wheels are driven through gearing 12by a direct current electric motor 13 of any well known type. A suitabletype is one having a permanent magnet field and an armature providedwith a wound coil and commutator of well known type, so that the motoris reversible simply by reversing the direction of flow of directcurrent through the armature coil. An illustration of such motor is oneshown and described in U. S.

Patent No. 2,465,446 dated March 29, 1949.

The front wheels are mounted on an axle or small platform 14, which istiltable about a vertically extending pivot 15, so as to steer thewheels either to the right or left. On the axle or small platform 14 aremounted a pair of solenoids 16 and 17, each comprising an electric coilwound in the form of a cylinder and containing therein magnetic cores orpins 16a and 17a respectively, of magnetic material. The cores 16a and17a have a longer projecting portion extending from the end of thesolenoid coils, extending inwardly of the vehicle than the projectingportions extending outwardly of the vehicle, so that as either coil isenergized, by passing electric current therethrough, the correspondingcore will tend to center itself within the coil, that is, withinjthemagnetic field created by the coil, and in so doing will cause the coreor pin 16a and 17a to move outwardly against metal discs 18 and 19,respectively, which are rigidly fastened with respect to the individualfront wheels. Each front wheel is independently driven with respect tothe other front wheel.

Spring 20 has one end 20a connected to a central part of platform 10 andthe other end 20b rigidly connected to the small platform 14 so that thespring normally biases the forward platform or axle 14 in the directionshown to steer the car in a straight line, forwardly or rearwardly.

In operation, and as will be more apparent from a study of Figures 3 and4, when neither of the operating buttons 8 or 9 is depressed the circuitis interrupted and no current will flow through solenoids 16 and 17 orthrough electric motor 13. However, if button.8 is depressed, a circuitwill be completed from the battery or dry cells 4 which will causecurrent flow through the motor armature in such direction as to drivethe car forwardly. Should it be desired to reverse the direction of thecar, button 9 is depressed which will reverse the direction of currentflow through the armature and thus reverse the direction of movement ofthe car. When either button 8 or 9 is depressed a circuit is alsocompleted through one of the solenoids 16 or 17, depending upon whethercontacts 5 or 6 are closed by ball contact 7. Assume that contacts 5 areclosed by tilting casing 3 until ball 7 rolls to bridge contacts 5. Thiswill complete a circuit through the coil of solenoid 16, to effectenergization thereof and to effect outward movement of the core or pin16a against the disc 18, thus creating a braking action or frictionwhich will retard or stop rotation of the right wheel and tilt frontplatform or axle 14. about axis 15 as a center and steering the front 3wheels towards the right to cause the car to make a right turn. One ofcontacts 5 and 6 are interconnected.

When it is desired to turn the car to the left, the casing v3 is titledso that ball contact 7 bridges contacts 6 so as to complete a circuitthrough solenoid coil 17 and interrupt the circuit through solenoid coil16. As solenoid coil 17 is energized it will attract core or pin 17aoutwardly and cause frictional engagement with the braking disc 19 onthe left wheel, thus retarding rotation of the left wheel while theright wheel is free to rotate, which results in tilting of the frontplatform 14 counterclockwise and steering of the car to the left.

An important feature of the invention resides in the ease and speed bywhich electrical switching can be effected, more specifically the speedby which the remote control unit 3 can be operated. It takes a meretwist of the wrist to cause reversal of the direction of turning of thecar, and the mere pressing of either button 8 or button 9 to have thecar go either forwardly or rearwardly. Thus, the child or operator mayfollow the car by holding unit 3 above the floor level and behind thecar, and obtain continuous control, enabling the car to travel longdistances without interruption to the childs enjoyment of the carmovement.

Thus, it will be seen that I have provided an efiicient, simple andhighly reliable remote control electrical system for a toy automobile orsimilar vehicle which enables simple and speedy control of the directionof movement, as well as the direction of turning of the toy automobile,and wherein the dry cells for driving the car may be contained withinthe remote control unit so as to avoid additional loading of the toyvehicle and the consequent additional consumption of electrical powerfor carrying its load. Furthermore, I have provided a toy vehicle whichcan be driven continuously and controlled continuously for long periodsof time, without interruption, to give the child uninterruptedenjoyment, as well as to develop skill in controlling the movement of anautomobile.

While I have illustrated and described a certain, specific embodiment ofmy invention, it will be understood that this is by way of illustrationonly, and that various changes and modifications may be made within thecontemplation of my invention and within the scope of the followingclaims:

I claim:

1. A toy vehicle including a frame having supported thereon, an electricmotor for driving the rear wheels of the vehicle, front wheels mountedon a supporting member which is tiltable about a central vertical axisto steer the vehicle either to the right or left as a result of tiltingmovement thereof, a pair of electromagnets, one mounted on each side ofsaid member for selectively magnetically retarding a braking elementrigidly secured to the respective front wheels, whereby energization ofeither of said electromagnets will effect tilting movement of saidmember and turning movement of said vehicle, spring means for normallybiasing said member so as to steer the vehicle in a straight forward orrearward direction, and a portable remote control unit including a dry.cell electrically connected to said motor and said electromagnets bymeans of an electric cord of an appreciable length, so that the unit maybe held at a distance from and moved independently of the vehicle, saidunit including switching means for selectively energizing saidelectromagnets to cause selective steering movements of the vehicle, andfor controlling the direction of rotation of said electric motor so asto effect either forward or rearward movement of said vehicle.

2. A toy vehicle including .a frame member having mounted thereon areversible electric direct current motor which is geared to .drive therear wheels onlyof the vehicle, the front wheels being independentlymounted on thesides of a steering member which is tiltable about acentral vertical axis for steering the vehicle, each front wheel havinga disc rigidly secured with respect thereto, a

spring for normally biasing said steering member so as to steer thevehicle in a straight forward or rearward direction, a pair of solenoidmembers mounted on opposite sides of said steering member, eachincluding a core having a longer extending portion in an inwarddirection than in an outward direction, whereby upon energization ofeither solenoid, its core will tend to center itself therein andfrictionally contact the corresponding disc so as to retard rotation ofthe corresponding Wheel and thereby efiect tilting of said member andsteering of the vehicle in the direction of the retarded wheel, and aremote control unit connected to said motor and solenoids by a longelectric cord, so that the unit may be moved independently of thevehicle and at a distance therefrom, switching means included on saidremote control unit for selectively energizing either of said solenoidsand for reversing the current flow and thus the direction of drive ofsaid electric motor and of said vehicle.

3. A toy vehicle as recited in claim 2 wherein said remote control unitincludes dry cells mounted therein for furnishing .power to saidelectric motor and solenoid members, and wherein said switching meansincludes a movable contact element responsive to tilting movements ofsaid unit in one direction or an opposite direction for effectingselective turning of the .car to the right or left.

4. A toy vehicle including a pair of rear wheels, a reversible, directcurrent motor mounted on said vehicle for driving said rear wheels, apair of front wheels mounted on an axle-like supporting element which ispivotally mounted on a central vertical axis, a pair of electromagnetsmounted on said supporting member, one on each end portion thereof, forselectively braking either of said front wheels to effect pivotalmovement of said supporting member so as to steer the vehicle in thedirection of the braked front wheel, and a portable remote control unitincluding a dry cell and a pair of reversing switches electricallyconnected, by a long flexible electric cord, to said motor and to saidelectromagnets, respectively, said unit being movable independently ofsaid vehicle, one of said switches selectively energizing saidelectromagnets to effect steering of said vehicle either to the right orleft, and the other of said switches selectively driving said motor inopposite directions so as to effect either forward or rearward movementof said vehicle.

5. A toy vehicle having mounted thereon a reversible direct currentmotor for driving said vehicle, a pair of front wheels mounted on anaxle-like supporting member which is tiltable about .a central verticalaxis, electromagnetic means for effecting selective tilting, in oppositedirections, of said supporting member about said .aXis to effectsteering of said vehicle to the right .or left, and a portable remotecontrol unit including a dry cell and a pair of reversing switches, along flexible electric cord connecting said dry cell to said motor andto said switches in a manner so that one of the switches effectsreversal of said motor, for effecting forward and rearward movement ofsaid vehicle, and the other of the switches effects steering to theright or left of said vehicle, said last named switch including a pairof spaced stationary contacts and a freely movable contact therebetweenwhich effects selective contacting of said contacts by twisting movementof the unit, whereby twisting of the unit in one direction effectssteering of the vehicle to the right, and twisting movement in anopposite direction effects steering to the left.

6. A toy vehicle as recited in claim 5 wherein said freely movablecontact is in the form of a metal ball.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

